Door chime assembly

Abstract: Door chime assembly includes a chime base (2) having a rear plate (3) and at least one resonance chamber (5) secured to said rear plate, a tone bar (9) within the chamber and a striking means (6,7) mounted on the plate for striking the tone bar. The chime base is molded in a single piece and employs at least one living hinge (17,20) which permits folding of parts of the assembly to form the resonance chamber. The tone bar is mounted on dowels (25) in the chamber of a length which prevents the tone bar from falling off the dowels during transit.

Description: This invention relates to a door chime assembly. Door chimes are well known in the art and typically include a chime base holding one or more tone bars and a striking means to strike the tone bars, which vibrate with a predetermined tone. Conventional chime bases also include one or more sound or resonance chambers which amplify the tone bar vibration. Conventional door chime bases, particularly the sound or resonance chambers, are typically made of several component parts, which require handling and assembly. Even for chime bases made by injection molding, as disclosed in DE-B-1257040 and equivalent GB-A-958038 of March 3rd 1965 cited in the examination of this application, a separate piece is necessary to enclose each sound chamber. These extra pieces add to the amount of handling required to assemble each door chime. DE-B-1257040 discloses a door chime assembly comprising a one-piece chime base including a rear plate and a plurality of walls integrally formed with the plate which walls define with a separate sealing plate cemented thereto a resonance chamber; a tone bar positioned within said resonance chamber and electrically operably striking means mounted on said chime base for striking said tone bar and causing it to vibrate. DE-U-1877406 of August 8th 1963, also cited during the examination of this application, discloses an assembly comprising a manually actuated bell housed in box formed by folding of a single piece of cardboard. One object of the invention is to reduce the number of component parts required to assemble a door chime, particularly by reducing the number of component parts in the door chime base. The present invention provides a door chime assembly comprising: a one-piece chime base including a rear plate and a plurality of walls secured to said plate and defining a resonance chamber, a tone bar housed within said resonance chamber; and electrically operable striking means mounted on said chime base for striking said tone bar and causing it to vibrate, said door chime assembly being characterised in that at least one of said walls is pivotally attached to said rear plate by a hinge. Preferably, in said assembly defined in the last preceding paragraph another one of said walls is secured to said rear plate and said one of said walls or a portion thereof is pivotable between a first position in which it extends at an angle to said another wall and a second position in which it extends substantially parallel to said another wall, and said assembly further comprises clasp means acting between said one wall and said another wall for maintaining said one wall in said second position. The above-mentioned one wall may comprise two portions at right angles to each other, wherein one of said portions is pivotally attached to said rear plate and an edge of the other of said portions is adjacent said another wall when said one wall is in said second position, and said clasp means may comprise straps pivotally attached to one of said other portion and said another wall and projections engageable with said straps secured to the other of said other portion and said another wall. Preferably, in the door chime assembly as defined in the last but two paragraph, a first one of said plurality of walls is secured to said rear plate and extends substantially perpendicular thereto, a second one of said walls being pivotally attached to said rear plate by a hinge and in spaced relation to said first one of said walls and extending from said rear plate to said first one of said walls, and a pair of spaced third walls secured to said rear plate at an angle to said first one of said walls and extending from said second one of said walls to said first one of said walls to provide said resonance chamber, said second one of said walls being movable from a first position in which it extends at an angle to said first one of said walls to a second position in which an edge thereof is adjacent to said first one of said walls. The assembly as defined in the last preceding paragraph further comprises clasp means acting between said second one of said walls and said first one of said walls for maintaining said second wall in said second position. Preferably, said second one of said walls comprises two portions at right angles to each other, wherein one of said portions is pivotally attached to said rear plate and an edge of the other of said portions is adjacent said first one of said walls when said second wall is in said second position, and wherein clasp means comprises straps pivotally attached to one of said other portion and said first wall and projections engageable with said straps secured to the other of said other portion and said first wall. The assembly may further comprise at least one dowel support within said chamber and attached to one of said walls of said resonance chamber for supporting said tone bar. The assembly may further comprise grommet means around said dowel support and engaging said tone bar to allow relatively free vibration of said tone bar. Preferably said one of said walls faces another of said walls and said dowel support extends substantially from said one wall to said other wall whereby said tone bar is prevented from falling off said dowel. Preferably a wall of said resonance chamber includes at least one opening to allow said striking means to strike said tone bar. In a preferred embodiment described hereinafter said chime base includes a further plurality of walls defining a further resonance chamber spaced from the first-mentioned said resonance chamber, said further resonance chamber having a wall thereof attached to said rear plate by a hinge and housing a tone bar, and said striking means is adapted to strike either of said tone bars. The above-mentioned hinge may be a living hinge. The chime base may be made of plastics, for example a polypropylene. In order that the invention may be well understood, the above-mentioned preferred embodiment thereof which is given by way of example only, will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a top view, partly in section, of a door chime assembly comprising a door chime base, tone bars and striking means; FIG. 2 is an end elevation view, partly in section, of the assembly shown in Fig. 1; FIG. 3 is a top view of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to completion; and FIG. 4 is an end elevation view, partly in section, of the assembly shown in FIG. 3 prior to completion. With reference to FIGS. 1 - 4, the illustrated door chime assembly 1 includes a base portion 2 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 in an assembled state without a decorative cover. Door chime base portion 2 includes a rear plate 3 having mounting holes 4 to secure said base 2, and hence, said assembly 1, to a wall. Base portion 2 also includes a pair of resonance chambers 5 and 5a, forming an integral part with said rear plate 3. A conventional solenoid, or strike means 6 is secured to said rear plate 3 adjacent said resonance chambers 5 and 5a. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 - 4, a pair of opposed resonance chambers 5 and 5a are shown with said solenoid means 6 secured between them. Although not required in accordance with principles of the invention, it is conventional to provide the door chime assembly 1 with two chime bars 9 and 9a, two of which are struck by a first electromagnetically movable rod when a first door button, e.g. a front door button, is operated and one of which is struck by a second electromagnetically movable rod when a second door button, e.g., a back door button is operated. Each strike rod is movable by separate, electrically energizable solenoids. Solenoid means 6 includes one or more strike rods 7 and 7a, each situated within an electrically energizable solenoid 8 (only one of which is schematically shown in FIG. 1), which when energized causes said strike rod 7 or 7a to move longitudinally of its axis and strike a tone bar 9 or 9a, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, causing the respective tone bar 9 or 9a to vibrate at a predetermined tone. Conventional chimes typically place said resonance chambers 5 and 5a around or in close proximity to the tone bars 9 and 9a to amplify the sound. Strike rods 7 and 7a pass through one or more openings or slots 10 and 10a along inner walls 11 and 11a of said resonance chambers 5 and 5a, where said inner walls 11 and 11a face said solenoid means 6. When struck by said strike rod 7 or 7a, tone bar 9 or 9a vibrates within said resonance chamber 5 at said predetermined tone. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each resonance chamber 5 and 5a, in addition to inner walls 11 and 11a, includes walls comprising outer wall portions 12 and 12a and top wall portions 13 and 13a at right angles thereto, a bottom wall 14 and 14a (portions of the plate 3), a front wall 15 and 15a and a back wall 16 and 16a, where the front walls and back walls being integral with the respective walls 11 and ha. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, instead of the resonance chambers 5 and 5a being made of several separate components as in conventional chimes, each requiring handling and assembly, each of the walls is, preferably, attached to one another, forming a simple-to-assemble one-piece door chime base portion 2. The walls comprising wall portions 12 and 12a and wall portions 13 and 13a are connected to said bottom walls 14 and 14a, i.e. the rear plate 3, by line or living hinges 17 and 17a, which form a flexible bridge of material between said outer wall portions 12 and 12a and rear plate 3 (bottom walls 14 and 14a), pivotably joining said outer wall portions 12 and 12a to rear plate 3 along the junctures 18 and 18a between them, as shown in FIG. 3. Living hinges 17 and 17a are preferably made of the same material as said door chime base portion 2, but are sufficiently thinned so that the living hinges 17 and 17a bend, allowing the walls comprising wall portions 12, 12a, and 13, 13a to fold over and contact inner walls 11 and 11a, respectively. Although other plastics can be used, suitable materials for both base 2 and living hinges 17 and 17a include polypropylene and compositions of polypropylene including up to 20% of talc. By sealing the junctures 18 and 18a with living hinges 17 and 17a, resonating air within said resonance chambers 5 and 5a is restricted along the junctures, thereby preserving the tonal resonance with the chambers 5 and 5a. Since conventional resonance chambers are made of several separate pieces each requiring individual handling, one advantage of using living hinges is that the entire door chime base portion 2 may be uniformly made by straight injection molding into a single piece, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which may be then easily assembled, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thereby greatly reducing the handling process. It should nonetheless be understood that line or living hinges 17 and 17a can attach the above walls across junctures 18 and 18a with a plurality of short hinge sections along the junctures. Attached to said wall portions 13 and 13a are a pair of clasp means comprising straps 19 and 19a, which are preferably secured to said wall portions 13 and 13a, respectively, by living hinges 20 and 20a, which allow the straps 19 and 19a to also be injection molded as a component part of the one-piece chime base portion 2 described above. The straps 19 and 19a, shown bent back in FIG. 3, include slotted portions 21 and 21a, respectively, which upon closing of the resonance chambers 5 and 5a, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, engage one of a pair of corresponding projections 22 and 22a secured along the exterior of the inner side walls 11 and 11a of the resonance chambers 5 and 5a. When engaged, the clasp means 19 and 22, or 19a and 22a, firmly secures said resonance chambers 5 and 5a in place. It should be understood that other clasp means may be employed to secure said chambers 5 and 5a. Tone bars 9 and 9a rest within said tone resonance chambers 5 and 5a, respectively, on a pair of dowel supports 23, which have pins 24 and 24a passing through holes 9b in said bars 9 and 9a. Preferably, the length of said dowel support 23 is so selected that upon assembly said tone bars 9 and 9a are centrally and securely situated within said tone resonance chambers 5 and 5a, respectively. To permit relatively free vibration of stricken tone bars 9 and 9a rubber grommets 25 are interposed between the pins 24 and 24a and the tone bars 9 and 9a. The grommets 25 preferably also extend slightly outwards beyond the faces of the tone bars 9 and 9a to further cushion the bars 9 and 9a from the dowel supports 23 and 23a and wedge members 26 and 26a affixed to the inside surfaces of said inner side walls 11 and 11a. Wedge members 26 and 26a have a sufficient thickness to engage said grommets 25 and thereby prevent said tone bars 9 and 9a from falling off the pins 24 and 24a during transit and handling of the chime assembly. A decorative cover (not shown) may overlie the door chime assembly 1 to cover the solenoid means 6 and chambers 5 and 5a with a more aesthetic front. The decorative cover should include a plurality of holes or slots to transmit the resonating sounds produced therein and alert persons adjacent the place where the chime assembly is installed I As will be appreciated from the foregoing in the embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 1 - 4, the entire door chime base portion, including rear support 3, resonance chambers 5 and 5a, clasps 19 and 19a, and living hinges 17, 17a, 20 and 20a, is made of one piece, eliminating a variety of separate component parts and reducing the amount of handling and assembly required, particularly in constructing or adding the tone resonance chambers 5 and 5a. A further benefit of the foregoing construction is that the tone bars 9 and 9a are prevented from falling off the pins 24 and 24a and thus, do not become loose or misaligned during shipping. It should be understood that although a pair of resonance chambers 5 and 5a are illustrated and described, a single chamber or more than two chambers may be provided. It should also be understood that it is not necessary that all resonance chambers have a tone bar therein. A combination of "empty" chamber and a chamber with a tone bar may thus be employed if it is desired to use the with only a single tone bar. Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A door chime assembly (1) comprising: a one-piece chime base (2) including a rear plate (3) and a plurality of walls (11,12-13,15,16) secured to said plate and defining a resonance chamber (5), a tone bar (9) housed within said resonance chamber (5); and electrically operable striking means (6) mounted on said chime base for striking said tone bar and causing it to vibrate, said door chime assembly being characterised in that at least one of said walls (12-13) is pivotally attached to said rear plate (3) by a hinge (17). A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein another one (11) of said walls is secured to said rear plate, wherein said one (12-13) of said walls or a portion (12) thereof is pivotable between a first position in which it extends at an angle to said another wall (11) and a second position in which it extends substantially parallel to said another wall (11), and further comprising clasp means (19) acting between said one wall (12-13) and said another wall (11) for maintaining said one wall in said second position. A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said one wall comprises two portions (12,13) at right angles to each other, wherein one (12) of said portions is pivotally attached to said rear plate and an edge of the other (13) of said portions is adjacent said another wall (11) when said one wall is in said second position, and wherein said clasp means comprises straps (19) pivotally attached to one of said other portion (13) and said another wall (11) and projections (22) engageable with said straps secured to the other of said other portion and said another wall. A door chime assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first one (11) of said plurality of walls is secured to said rear plate (3) and extends substantially perpendicular thereto, a second one (12 - 13) of said walls being pivotally attached to said rear plate by a hinge (17) and in spaced relation to said first one (11) of said walls and extending from said rear plate to said first one of said walls, and a pair of spaced third walls (15, 16) secured to said rear plate at an angle to said first one (11) of said walls and extending from said second one (12-13) of said walls to said first one of said walls to provide said resonance chambers (5), said second one of said walls being movable from a first position in which it extends at an angle to said first one of said walls to a second position in which an edge thereof is adjacent to said first one of said walls. A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 4, further comprising clasp means (19) acting between said second one (12-13) of said walls and said first one (11) of said walls for maintaining said second wall in said second position. A a door chime assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second one of said walls comprises two portions (12, 13) at right angles to each other, wherein one (12) of said portions is pivotally attached to said rear plate (3) and an edge of the other (13) of said portions is adjacent said first one (11) of said walls when said second wall is in said second position, and wherein said clasp means comprises straps (19) pivotally attached to one of said other portion (13) and said first wall (11) and projections (22) engageable with said straps secured to the other of said other portion and said first wall. A door chime assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising at least one dowel support (23) within said chamber (25) and attached to one of said walls (12) of said resonance chamber for supporting said tone bar (9). A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 7, further comprising grommet means (25) around said dowel support (23) and engaging said tone bar (9) to allow relatively free vibration of said tone bar. A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein said one of said walls faces another (11) of said walls and wherein said dowel support (23) extends substantially from said one wall to said other wall (11) whereby said tone bar is prevented from falling off said dowel. A door chime assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a wall (11) of said resonance chamber (5) includes at least one opening (10) to allow said striking means (6) to strike said tone bar (9). A door chime assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said chime base includes a further plurality of walls defining a further resonance chamber (5a) spaced from the first-mentioned said resonance chamber (5), said further resonance chamber having a wall (12-13) thereof attached to said rear plate by a hinge (17a) and housing a tone bar (9a), and wherein said striking means (6) is adapted to strike either of said tone bars. A door chime assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein said hinge is a living hinge. A door chime assembly as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said chime base is made of plastics. A door chime assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said plastics is a polypropylene.

Inventors: REMINGTON DUNCAN, REMINGTON,DUNCAN
Applicants: FRED M SCHILDWACHTER & SONS IN, FRED M SCHILDWACHTER & SONS, INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G08B3
IPC codes: G10K1